A Japanese newspaper (Sankei Shimbun) has named the workers fighting the nuclear disaster ‘Kesshitai’. It means ‘unit that expects to die’.
A daughter of one of the workers says her father told the family that he will die. The wife of another worker received a message that said: “Please continue to live well, I cannot be home for a while.”
So far, at least 20 people are confirmed to have radiation contamination.
The International Atomic Energy Agency chief, Yukiya Amano, says Japan’s nuclear crisis requires international cooperation.
Yukiya Amano met with Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday, and expressed the need for more information from Japanese officials.
A four man team from the IAEA is now in Japan for monitoring of the situation.
Japanese engineers are considering the possibility they will have to bury some of the reactors, at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. This was the final action taken by the Soviets with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
Sand and concrete would be the main ingredients. The Soviets also used boric acid. South Korea has sent samples of boric acid to Japan to test for possible use on the reactors. Japanese officials say they want to continue to attempt to cool down the reactors first.
Japan raised the level of seriousness of the disaster to 5 on the INES scale. International observers had placed it at 6 last week. Obviously there is a difference of opinion. Three Mile Island is rated at 5. Chernobyl is rated at 7, the highest, on the INES scale.
In the 1980’s the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled 5-4 that there was no reason to require nuclear plants to create earthquake disaster plans.
In 2003, an earthquake in California, prompted the Diablo Canyon plant officials to come up with a plan. But, for some unknown reason, they have yet to publish that plan. The plant operators were not required to include earthquakes in its emergency response plan, when the plant was first licensed.
In fact according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear plants in the U.S. are required to have only a general emergency response plan. In other words they don’t plan for specific types of disasters.
Some officials say no planning is needed because the plants were supposedly built to withstand earthquakes. Tell that to the Japanese. Two workers at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, who survived the 9.0 quake/tsunami, say the plant was falling apart. One of those workers said he was surprised because everyone had been told the plant was earthquake proof.
An attempt to hit reactor 3 with the water cannon of fire truck was successful.
Plans are to rotate 6 to 7 fire trucks to spray 50 tons of water per day, on reactor 3 of the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
The initial attempt using a fire truck, by the Japanese Self Defense Forces, demonstrated that the reactor can be hit. Now the Tokyo Fire Department will take over operations.
On site radiation levels at 20 millisieverts (20,000 microsieverts) per hour. This is why attempts to hook up outside electrical power has not taken place.
Tokyo Fire Department staging to take over cooling operations at the plant, when the JSDF has completed their cooling operations.
Officials confirming that water levels still falling in reactors 1, 2 & 3. Reactor 3 has priority. Overall situation has not changed from day before. Indicates water dropping efforts not successful.
Officials in Japan now confirm that liquefaction took place during the 9.0 quake.
This added to the destruction. Roads, power poles and buildings were damaged directly by liquefaction.
Liquefaction is a major concern in the United States along the New Madrid fault line. There is evidence, and reports of liquefaction during a series of strong quakes during the 1800s.
Liquefaction causes solids, like sand, to act like water. It happens when great pressure is applied, as in the case of an earthquake.
NHK reported that for the first time since the quake/tsunami disaster the JSDF (Japanese Self Defense Force) will help supply survivors with food, water and other necessities.
They will begin by sending out helicopters to shelters to determine what is needed. This action is being taken after more than 6 days since the 9.0 quake/tsunami struck.
Until now, the JSDF was involved only with rescue/recovery operations.
This is another example of how unprepared the Japanese government is.
Latest press conference from Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.
Officials still not sure about water levels at the reactors & spent fuel pools. Deciding if radiation levels are low enough to fly recon aircraft over to take photos.
Officials still evaluating the effects of yesterday’s water dropping & spraying.
Workers still struggling to get new power lines hooked up to the plant. Power panels on reactors need to be replaced. Radiation levels on site still a problem.
Priority and progress of work affected by number of workers, radiation levels, and other factors.
Help from the United States is appreciated, and specific requests have been made. Reports say U.S. Secretary of State Clinton announced that coolant specifically for nuclear reactors is in short supply. Japanese officials say they will have to continue using water (which is not optimal).
General Motors (GM) has announced that due to auto parts shortages, caused by the disasters in Japan, they will have to shut down some production in the United States.
A GM plant in Louisiana is the first to be closed, for a week, as a result.
Toyota had announced that it would slow production in its U.S. factories. Officials say production will not be affected at their engine plants. Instead of closing plants altogether, Toyota has eliminated overtime work.
Ford says so far their U.S. operations are not affected, Honda said the same thing.